Öland: A day trip worth taking

Another beautiful, sunny day in the south of Sweden, another reason to travel! 

So, Saturday comes, and after a stressful week, I decide to visit   Öland (Oland).

Not that you need many excuses to travel in Sweden, but good weather makes it almost impossible not to take a trip, even if that is for one day!

Öland is an island, opposite Kalmar to which you can cross over the bridge by car in about 10 minutes.

Now last time I went to Öland in September I visited only the northern part as it was autumn and days were shorter.
I and  was able to experience one of the most mesmerising, if not the most mesmerising, sunsets I have ever experienced. The sun looked pink, no kidding. This is an actual phone picture, no filters used!         

I also visited Sandviks Kvar, one of the biggest windmills in Europe! This wonderful windmill is 26 meters high, and has a wingspan of 24 meters. Build in 1856 in Småland, it sadly suffered a lot of damage due to a heavy storm. It was sold in 1885 and the new owner took it apart completely, transporting it to its current location.
It is a popular attraction amongst tourists today and it has been turned into a restaurant which is really cosy. I think it is worth visiting even if you do not want to eat in the restaurant as you can simply eat ice cream outside or drink some coffee or even just to see it. 

The Borgholm castle was another noteworthy visit, a 17th century castle built by King Karl X Gustav. You can go in and look at the ruins (there is an admission fee) which I didn't, or just walk around and admire the scenery. Today it operates as a wedding and concert venue and it is where the famous 'Listen to your heart' has been filmed! It is a fun visit and I would highly recommend visiting if ever nearby.

The last place before heading home at the time, was Böda beach. This is a beautiful, white-sand beach where you can also camp. Dog friendly in certain parts, where your furry friend can join you for a swim and restaurants, cafes and bars in the resort.
There are children's activities and concerts and there is even a supermarket for those who camp. You may even meet a curious squirrel, as the area is full of trees and the woods are located just before reaching the beach.

Now, this time it was the south's turn!
The southern part of the island, equally impressive, has some gems of itself!
My first stop was the Eketorp  fortress, which excavations have shown to have had 3 settlement phases, two of those in the Iron age and one in the middle ages.
The well which is situated in the centre and dating back to the oldest period of the settlement, still draws water, and the museum offers many items found in the excavations.

Upon entering the main gate, you come upon an astonishing vision, feeling as if you have actually travelled back to the times where the whole place was filled with people. There are many houses with straw rooftops and you can go in and look at how they used to be with very distinct areas within the houses such as the pigsty, dining area and bedroom.
 Now, not everything that you upon your visit is the 'original' thing, but what has been recreated, is quite realistic and does not divert from the overall feel of the place.
When you go up the stairs into the merlons, you get a full view of the settlement below.
The fortress is a definite recommend for history buffs and you can see it without spending a lot of time.

My next stop was Ottenby fågelstation (observatory). The bird observatory is only a short drive from the fortress and you can visit to 'meet' all the beautiful birdies. You do though, must drive cautiously and slowly as to get there, you drive through an area full of roaming cows and their babies. On our way back we had to wait for 15 minutes, as in the middle of the road a cow was feeding her calf and would not budge. Actually she stood there staring until they were done.

So anyway, upon arriving at the observatory, there is a very nice area with old houses that are today a cafe and an office amongst storage rooms etc. At the end, there is a lighthouse where swans can be seen to swim by.
 

The next and last stop, admittedly the most exciting for me, was Eckelsudde. Why you might ask? Because I finally got to see seals up close (relatively close). One of the most exciting parts of visiting Sweden for me has been 'meeting' animals I would never back home.                                                        Since I came here I have seen deer running free (those that have escaped, fortunately, a hunter), foxes, moose, and now seals! I was able to see baby seals, as well as fully grown ones and even see a couple out sunbathing. They are very cautious but also curious and one of the babies did come a tiny bit closer in the time I was there. I imagine if I had a lot more time and spend  a few hours there without making much noise or sudden moves, one of them might even have come quite close. Even so, it was an amazing experience which I will treasure forever. It is not every day you see seals in their natural environment with their cute babies swimming around and playing.                                                                  

  It was a wonderful end to an exciting day and would definitely recommend all of these spots. Of course these were only 2 day trips and there are only so many places you can visit. Öland is  an exciting and worthwhile destination for anyone who likes to get a taste and experience the beautiful scenery of the Swedish south and one of the places in the south that must definitely be added to your next 'to visit' list!